Our Services
Dental Crowns
DentaRay Clinic
What are dental crowns?
Over time, your teeth can get damaged. This can happen for a variety of reasons, like tooth decay, injuries or just use over time. Your teeth can lose their shape or size. Dental crowns are tooth-shaped “caps” that can be placed over your tooth. Think of it like a snug hat for your tooth. The crown restores the tooth’s shape, size, strength and appearance.
Why would I need a dental crown?
You may need a dental crown for several reasons, including:
- Protecting a weak tooth (possibly from decay) from breaking or to keep the weak tooth together if parts of it are cracked.
- Restoring a broken tooth or a severely worn down tooth.
- Covering and supporting a tooth with a large filling and not much tooth remaining.
- Holding a dental bridge in place.
- Covering misshapen or severely discolored teeth.
- Covering a dental implant.
- Covering a tooth that’s been treated with a root canal.
What are onlays and 3/4 crowns?
Types of Dental Crowns: Onlays, 3/4 Crowns, and Traditional Crowns
Dental crowns come in various types, each designed to restore and protect damaged teeth. While traditional dental crowns fully cover a tooth, onlays and 3/4 crowns provide a more conservative alternative.
What Are Onlays and 3/4 Crowns?
Onlays and 3/4 crowns cover only a portion of the tooth, preserving more of the natural structure compared to a full crown. These options are ideal when the tooth remains strong enough to support partial coverage.
Benefits of Onlays and 3/4 Crowns
Minimally Invasive – Preserves more of your natural tooth.
Durable Protection – Strengthens the tooth while maintaining its original shape.
Aesthetic Appeal – Custom-made to match the color and texture of your natural teeth.
The Procedure
During the procedure, your dentist removes the affected area, reshapes the tooth, and prepares it for the crown. This approach ensures long-lasting support while maintaining as much of your natural tooth as possible.
If you’re considering a dental crown,contact us now for free dental consultation
What are dental crowns made of?
Permanent Dental Crowns: Materials and Benefits
Permanent crowns can be made out of many different materials. These materials can include:
Metal Crowns: There are several metals that can be used in dental crowns, including gold, palladium, nickel, and chromium. Metal crowns rarely chip or break, last the longest in terms of wear, and require minimal tooth removal. They can also withstand biting and chewing forces. The metallic color is the main drawback of this type of crown. Metal crowns are a good choice for out-of-sight molars or back teeth where aesthetics are less important.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns: This type of dental crown can be matched to the color of the teeth next to the crown. They have a more natural tooth color, making them an excellent option for visible teeth. However, sometimes the metal under the crown’s porcelain cap shows through as a dark line. Other cons include the possibility of the crown’s porcelain portion chipping or breaking off, and the crown can wear down the teeth opposite it within the mouth. This wear specifically affects the teeth that come into contact with the crown when the mouth is closed. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are a good choice for both front or back teeth.
All-Resin Crowns: Dental crowns made out of resin are generally less expensive than other crown types. However, they wear down over time and are more likely to break than porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. Resin crowns are suitable for those looking for an affordable, temporary crown solution.
All-Ceramic or All-Porcelain Crowns: These types of dental crowns provide the best natural color match compared to any other crown type. They’re also an excellent choice for individuals with metal allergies. However, they aren’t as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and can wear down the teeth opposite them in the mouth a little more than metal or resin crowns. All-ceramic crowns are often the best choice for front teeth due to their high aesthetic value.
Pressed Ceramic Crowns: These dental crowns have a hard inner core and are capped with porcelain, which provides the best natural color match. Pressed ceramic crowns are longer-lasting than all-porcelain crowns and are a durable option for patients who desire a natural-looking crown that will stand the test of time.
PROCEDURE DETAILS
How is my tooth prepared for a dental crown?
You will typically have two visits to the dentist to prepare for a dental crown. In some cases, you may have a dental crown made in your dentist’s office.
The first visit
During the first visit, the tooth that’s going to receive the crown is examined and prepared. X-rays are taken of the tooth and the bone around it. Your dentist might have to do a root canal treatment before your dental crown procedure if there’s any:
- Tooth decay.
- Risk of infection.
- Injury to the tooth’s pulp.
Pulp is the soft tissue inside your teeth that contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue.
The tooth that’s receiving the crown will be filed down across the top and sides. This will make space for the crown itself. The amount of tooth that gets filed away depends on the type of crown you have. All-metal dental crowns are thinner and don’t need as much of the tooth removed as all-porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. If too much of your tooth is missing — due to damage or decay — a filling material can be used to “build up” enough tooth structure for the crown to cover.
After reshaping the tooth, a paste or putty is used to make a copy (also called an impression) of the tooth that’s going to receive the crown. Impressions of the teeth above and below the tooth that’s getting the dental crown will also be made. This is done to make sure that the crown will not affect your bite.
The impressions are sent to a dental laboratory. The laboratory makes the crowns and usually returns them to the dentist’s office in two to three weeks. During this first office visit, your dentist will make a temporary crown to cover and protect the prepared tooth while you’re waiting on the permanent crown.
The second visit
At the second visit, the permanent crown is placed on your tooth. First, the temporary crown is removed and the fit and color of the permanent crown are checked. If everything is okay, a local anesthetic (“numbing” drug) is sometimes used to numb the tooth and the new crown is permanently cemented in place.
Same-day dental crowns
Dental crowns can also be made in a dentist’s office if your dentist has the equipment. This process starts off similarly to the traditional way a crown is made — the first steps are to remove decay and shape the tooth for a perfect fit inside the crown. After these steps, the actual making of the crown is different. In the same-day procedure, a scanning device (a “wand”) is used to take digital pictures of the tooth inside your mouth. The computer’s software creates a 3D model of the tooth from these pictures. The digital design is then sent to another in-office machine that carves the shape of the crown out of a block of ceramic. This method of making a dental crown is called computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM). In less than 15 minutes, the crown is ready to be cemented into place.
RISKS / BENEFITS
What problems can develop with a dental crown?
Permanent Dental Crowns: Materials and Benefits
Permanent crowns can be made out of many different materials. These materials can include:
Metal Crowns: There are several metals that can be used in dental crowns, including gold, palladium, nickel, and chromium. Metal crowns rarely chip or break, last the longest in terms of wear, and require minimal tooth removal. They can also withstand biting and chewing forces. The metallic color is the main drawback of this type of crown. Metal crowns are a good choice for out-of-sight molars or back teeth where aesthetics are less important.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns: This type of dental crown can be matched to the color of the teeth next to the crown. They have a more natural tooth color, making them an excellent option for visible teeth. However, sometimes the metal under the crown’s porcelain cap shows through as a dark line. Other cons include the possibility of the crown’s porcelain portion chipping or breaking off, and the crown can wear down the teeth opposite it within the mouth. This wear specifically affects the teeth that come into contact with the crown when the mouth is closed. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are a good choice for both front or back teeth.
All-Resin Crowns: Dental crowns made out of resin are generally less expensive than other crown types. However, they wear down over time and are more likely to break than porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. Resin crowns are suitable for those looking for an affordable, temporary crown solution.
All-Ceramic or All-Porcelain Crowns: These types of dental crowns provide the best natural color match compared to any other crown type. They’re also an excellent choice for individuals with metal allergies. However, they aren’t as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and can wear down the teeth opposite them in the mouth a little more than metal or resin crowns. All-ceramic crowns are often the best choice for front teeth due to their high aesthetic value.
Pressed Ceramic Crowns: These dental crowns have a hard inner core and are capped with porcelain, which provides the best natural color match. Pressed ceramic crowns are longer-lasting than all-porcelain crowns and are a durable option for patients who desire a natural-looking crown that will stand the test of time.
RECOVERY AND OUTLOOK
How long do dental crowns last?
On average, dental crowns last between five and 15 years. The living space of a crown can depend on the amount of “wear and tear” the crown is exposed to, how well you follow oral hygiene practices, and personal mouth-related habits. These mouth-related habits can include things like:
- Grinding or clenching your teeth.
- Chewing ice.
- Biting your fingernails.
- Using your teeth to open the packaging.
Does a crowned tooth require any special care?
On average, dental crowns last between 5 and 15 years, depending on several factors. The longevity of a dental crown is influenced by:
- Wear and tear from daily use
- Oral hygiene habits and maintenance
- Personal habits that can damage the crown
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
How much do dental crowns cost?
The costs of dental crowns can vary depending on where you live and the type of crown you pick. Porcelain crowns, for example, are typically more expensive than gold crowns, which are typically more expensive than porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. In general, dental crowns can range in cost from $120 to $150 or more per crown. The cost of crowns is not usually fully covered by insurance. To be certain, check with your specific dental insurance company